Yvonne Coburn to speak at ‘Dying to Know’ Bondi event
'I made a promise that if I could do something to help support the system, certainly in terms of advocating for greater funding for palliative care nationally, I would'
Randwick and Waverley Councils will partner with South Eastern Sydney Local Health District, UNSW Kingsford Legal Centre, Life Rite Funerals and Metropolitan Memorial Parks to deliver educational events so people can plan for the future.
“Dying to Know: Planning for the Future” will take place in Bondi on Wednesday, bringing together experts who will speak about legal considerations, advance care planning, palliative care, grief literacy, holistic funerals and options for burials, cremations and memorialisation.
Executive leadership coach and former lawyer Yvonne Coburn was recently appointed national champion of Palliative Care Australia, working to raise awareness about palliative care and the importance of future planning.
Coburn’s career has included a period as an elected Councillor on Waverley Council, and she has served on a number of not-for-profit boards.
After experiencing helping family members and close friends with their palliative care needs, Coburn was exposed to the complexity of the issues that arise in the last stages of life for everyone and the services that everyone will need.
Coburn has worked to involve local councils in facilitating events around Dying to Know Day, an annual campaign organised by CCNB Community Care Services, that empowers all adult Australians to be strong self-advocates for their own personal planning when it comes to their future.
“My mum experienced palliative care both at home and in a hospice environment, and also in hospital, so I had a taste of what was available,” Coburn said.
“She died six weeks after diagnosis, so there wasn’t a lot of time for me to really understand because I was managing it all, and I realised that for people who don’t have the wherewithal to ask questions, or who don’t have a law degree to understand all the issues involved, it can be a minefield.”
This motivated Coburn to find ways to educate the public on how best to manage those challenges, becoming instrumental in gaining local Council support for improving understanding of these issues.
“I made a promise that if I could do something to help support the system, certainly in terms of advocating for greater funding for palliative care nationally, I would.”
For more details and to book, visit https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/dying-to-know-planning-for-the-future-bondi-event-tickets-679834241517
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